White Fir Notch You be sweet and I'll be grateful

Pack thread for anyone who would like to come and visit the new family! @Gent will post directly after me and then you guys are welcome to it. :) Just as a heads up, Raela will be very particular about who she allows into the den with her.

5/7/2016
Weather:
53° F, 12° C
Partly Cloudy
2:27 PM

The need to rest had been all-consuming. Anxiety, fear, pain and exertion had gripped her for hours, and when at last the contractions ceased, and the pineapple weed her mate had insisted on was devoured in sufficient quantity, Raela gladly fell unconscious. The feeling of the little ones healthy and alive at her side was all the soothing she needed. They seemed to be tired too; and who could blame them? It couldn't have been any more fun for the pups than it was for the mother; shoved forcefully into a world of hunger and cold. If she had anything to say about it, none of them would suffer from these things for long. 

It was some of the deepest sleep the Queen had ever experienced. Even when her eyes peeled open hours later, she still felt the ache absolutely everywhere. Just shifting her weight sent pain shooting across her body, as her fatigued muscles struggled feebly to perform. Needless to say, she didn't do much of that. Blearily, the woman regained her senses, at first confused by the feeling of the tiny beings against her stomach. The fog cleared quickly though, as her eyes fell upon their huddled forms and she remembered all that had happened that morning. 

Gent was by her side of course, but instead of greeting him her first instinct was to reach out and pass a comforting, inquisitive tongue across each of their little ones; to be sure that they were all still just fine. Her smallest naturally garnered the most concern, but the girl wasted no time in reminding everyone that she was perfectly alright, thank you, with a curt “mrr!” Raela beamed, watching each of them twitch in response. It was then that her sweet gaze shifted toward the wonderful man who had helped bring them to life. He received his own kiss, right on the nose. 

A few moments passed while she got to grips with reality. The dim collection of light much further down the tunnel suggested that it was at least still daytime, but much, much later. Surely the pack had been waiting long enough for news of her and the children. Perhaps they had noticed Gent's prolonged absence, for hers was common by now. With a deep breath, the matriarch reasoned that she could finally handle inviting them to the den site. Though her mind was clouded, she no longer felt like sleeping. Perhaps in another hour or so, maybe a little less. The once-again petite woman turned to her mate in a hushed voice. "I think we should tell the others," she urged gently, wrapping her tail protectively over their fragile bodies to hide them from sight and keep them warm. 

(This post was last modified: May 08, 2016, 05:11 PM by Raela.)

            

@Ainashi @Merys @Jynx @Sylva

Gent's skull rose and fell with each of Raela's deep, sound breaths as it rested upon her ribcage. His eyelids were beginning to grow heavy again, encouraged by the untouchable sense of utter tranquility that filled the natal den, but he refused to let them close for longer than a blink. He had dozed briefly with his wife, moments at a time, but once his mind had just barely enough battery power to turn itself back on, it did. Part of this was that protective nature that ran so deeply through his veins. Mostly, he was in awe.

Even as Raela stirred back into consciousness he could not tear his eyes from them, a smile curling is lips as they each responded to her touch. It took the warmth of her tongue passing over his own leathery nose to steal his gaze, meeting hers with adoration. It lingered for a moment after she looked away before returning to what was now the cynosure of his world. When her voice broke the silence, only a flick of his ear gave proof that he had heard her.

Gent was not a cunctator by nature, yet he felt himself wanting to stall for as long as possible. As much as each of their subordinates had grown on him in their own way, this moment of just him, his mate and his children was so perfect that he longed for it to stretch on forever. Knowing how unreasonable this way eventually brought him reluctantly onto his paws. His tongue passed just behind her ear and his nose graced each of the little ones' heads before he made his way through the tunnel and back into the outside world.

He took a deep breath, eyes adjusting to the light as he enjoyed the feel of the soft breeze moving through his fur. Quiet, peace; he enjoyed them for a few moments longer before reclining next to the den's entrance and titling his skull back. The king sent up a call, informing the pack 'they're born.'

Merys' tail darted between his legs in surprise as he began sprinting. He had not anticipated the mallard duck alerting the rest of his flock right before he snapped the male's neck satisfyingly between his teeth. The immediate flutter of 10+ ducks taking flight had startled the hunter, initially thinking they were about to dive and punish him for taking their brother. He turned tail with a grin on his face and his limp prize in his mouth, but quickly realized that they had taken to the air in fear and not revenge. His jog slowed down once he reached a secluded area in the trees, his tail wagging happily behind him. He dropped the bird gently at the bottom of a young spruce, his mouth happily anticipating his fresh water meal. He moved to lie down when he heard @Gent call out for the pack. Oh..

Merys' brown eyes gazed down at this would-be meal, but he knew it would only bode well for him if he donated to the new arrival's cause. A reluctant but accepting sigh escaped the four-year-old's maw and he moved to stand again. Gingerly picking up his kill, he turned towards Raela's den, giving the bird a shake every now and then to keep the dirt and leaves off of it; e was sad to give up his pretty bird.. those wild animals were so vicious.. When he got closer, the scent met his nose before his eyes met Gent's. He was waiting outside the den, and it was obvious that Raela was no longer alone inside. The scent of puppies brought joy to Merys, though he may never admit it. It's nice. That's all. No need to get weird about it. He lowered his head for his king, letting his tail go limp. He moved forward to drop the mallard duck at his feet, eying the den. He supposed there was no point in expecting Raela or the pups to emerge; not that they would be much of anything to see this young anyway. He moved backwards and gave Gent a kind smile. "Congratulations my king," he nodded to the younger male, the moved to sit on his haunches, letting the tip of his tail wag lazily on occasion. He wondered what the others would have to say upon the arrival; the foolish yearling, the sketchy ghost, and Jynx. 

WHITE FIR Notch

TEMPLATE © NDA OF RCR & RPG-D

(This post was last modified: May 11, 2016, 03:54 PM by Merys.)

founding member | 2016

The young wolf was curled up within the dark corner of the infirmary den. Sleeping peacefully when she heard a howl cut through the quiet and a small groan escaped. Slowly hazel brown eyes blinked open as she groaned again as she stood, the sudden wake up call left the girl groggy while giving herself a small shake to wake up. “Hm..who was that?’ she asked while glancing around the den, her mind still fogged by sleep, it failed to register in her mind that the ones within the den was she and the herbs stacked neatly in small piles.

“Their born… That’s what she had heard right? Her head tilted a little to the side has she tried to think..who was born… After a few moments it hit her like a face full of snow and she perked up. “THE PUPPIES!” She shouted to no one in particular as she bolted through the entrance of the den and started down the trail toward Raela’s den.

Eventually, Sylva found the familiar den coming into sight, and already the pack behemoth and Merys were gathered. She tried to skid to a quick stop, but she only succeeded in tripping and rolling the last few few, landing near @Gent ‘s paws as she gave a small groan of “Congratulations..”

ThoughtDialogue

 

Reach for the stars

She couldn't remember ever having felt so anxious before. Not once in her life. But why? It was likely because that for the first time, Jynx would be in the company of new, innocent lives. Lives which she, and the rest of the pack as a whole, would be responsible for. Even if these puppies were Raela's and not her own, her close relationship with the tawny queen sparked a flame of protectiveness in her young heart. They were after all, the future heirs of White Fir Notch, and the legacy of Gent and Raela.

With a sigh, her ears fell down against the fur of her head. The only other mature female, @Moraxia, had left for reasons unknown to Jynx. It was a shame really. She would have loved to have gotten to know the brave she wolf better. She surely would have been overjoyed for Raela, just as Jynx was now. Over the weeks spanning her friends pregnancy, she kept close, but never overbearingly so. Offering the queen assistance with anything she may have needed, and keeping a watchful eye on her continually swelling belly. She wondered, with this being her first, how many pups would she have? Perhaps four, or as few as one? Knowing that Raela's time was close, the russet woman had now deliberately taken the time to give her the extra space and privacy she would need. She didn't stray from the territory. Instead, she kept well within the borders, spending most of her time filling the existing caches and creating new ones. They'd need them with extra mouths to feed.

Delicately but firmly smoothing her nose over the soil to pack it down securely over the contents inside, Jynx was just finishing up one new cache, placed under a bush, but easily accessible for any hungry jaws of a pack member. When Gent's howl went up, proudly announcing the arrival of their children, she lifted her head and froze momentarily. Then, her blood boiled with excitement, and she was off in a dash towards the site of the birthing den. As she covered ground and grew closer, she slowed to fast paced walk, so as not to appear too excited. She instinctively knew to keep well away from the den entrance, and had no desire whatsoever to go in and disturb the new mother, as thrilled as she was for her. Merys and Silva were already there, the large male offering a duck, and the yearling...a clumsy tumble. Dark tipped tail fanning a mile a minute, she nipped softly at Gent's chin in submission before stepping back. Bowing her head with a kind smile, she spoke. "Congratulations, Gent." Her voice was laced with deep sincerity, expressing how happy she was for the proud father. 

It was beautiful to see the way he looked at them; the way he looked at her. She could only think that the King felt the same eternal peace and wonder himself. Though she had asked for it, it was quite strange to feel Gent shift from her side and to watch his colossal frame slip away into the light. She almost didn't want it to happen. The moment even a hint of loneliness crept into her mind she glanced down, taking in the shrouded forms of her darlings once again while the call rang out over their territory. Raela smiled. She only hoped they would all be excited for her. 

Her ears cupped forward to catch the first voice, and then the second, accompanied by its signature clumsy thump. A soft chuff of amusement left her nostrils, as typical. Then her new second's congratulations reached into their home, and all the Alphess could feel was pride. She ran her tongue gently across all of them again, and a thought formed. Her golden eyes shifted up to the curtain of hanging moss. 

"Sylva?" Her gentle voice reached cautiously into the outside world. "Do you want to see them?"

(This post was last modified: Aug 14, 2016, 03:19 PM by Raela.)

            

While he considered all of his members truepenny enough, Gent found himself hoping that they would send their congratulations by air instead of taking his announcement as an invitation. Each moment that ticked by without anyone else popping into view made him all the more antsy to crawl back into the ground and curl up with Raela, and at one point he found himself making an internal deal that if no one appeared in two minutes more, he would do just that. Unfortunately, seventy seconds into this promise, @Merys arrived.

The disappointment Gent felt did not manifest itself upon his features. After all, it was nothing personal against the older man. His gaze momentarily lingered on the mallard, and he had to wonder if they'd not already realized that their queen had gone into neighbor. The kill was recent; had Merys truly gone and snatched a treat just for the occasion, or was it a lucky coincidence? The thought was equally considerate either way, that he would either sacrifice his time or his own meal for a tasty present, and Gent found himself pleased to hear the felicitations upon another's tongue. Alright, maybe a few moments with the rest wouldn't be so bad. Hell, he was proud, and that was something to share.

Then something was running at him, then tumbling at him, and the man was once more second guessing alerting the others at all. Instinctively he had placed himself between the incoming @Sylva and the natal den's entrance. It was unlikely that she would bowl right in, but the reaction occurred all the same. He tried to keep any harshness from his gaze as he looked down upon her, unusual for the typically patient king. Thankfully, @Jynx swept in immediately after to distract him.

Taking a breath, he relaxed once more and breathed his thanks to the trio that had gathered, placing a paw upon the gift that Merys had brought in acknowledgment. This peaceful feeling only lasted a moment until Raela's voice reached up, welcoming Sylva of all wolves close enough to witness his children. Immediately his ears lifted and his smile vanished, eyes locked onto the yearling's gaze. He pinned her with this heavy, meaningful stare for a solid moment before slowly, step by drawn-out step he moved out of her way.

If she tripped and squashed his children, he would gut her.

There is a family of deer nearby. Hunt Opportunity

 

Reach for the stars

With the smell of birth, of new life fresh in the air, the whole pack had reason to be excited. Sylva seemed perhaps a little too enthusiastic, considering the nature of her entrance. Glancing over to the black coated yearling, a look of curious puzzlement crept onto her own facial features. She heaved a soft little sigh, but not one of annoyance. Sylva was young. Her reaction may very well be natural.

While Merys had brought with him a duck to offer the new parents, and Sylva expressed enthusiasm, Jynx remained reserved, but alert. Remaining a respectful distance away from the entrance, or anywhere near the den itself, she eased her body down onto the dirt and grass. Sphinx like, she watched, eyes pinned to the opening where inside, Raela and the pups rested. The voice of their Queen, directed at Sylva, inquiring if she wished to see the pups, made her brows rise up slightly. Like Gent, she pinned the yearling with her sharp yellow gaze, but not with nearly as much intensity. As a higher ranking female, and an adult, she would make sure that Sylva knew she had her eye on her.

When Gent gave no sign of stopping her to creep towards the den, Jynx abruptly rose from her spot. Her paws thudded softly over the earth, telling of her un-hidden approach. She stopped just a few feet behind him, watching intently as Sylva would act, be it poking her head in the den, or not. Her golden eyes landed on the cheek of the new father. "Is there anything either of you need while I'm here? Anything we can do?" She offered with genuinely good intent. Whatever he or Raela might need at the moment, she would try to provide. She could not think of anything in particular, but she had to at least ask. She just did not want to sit by feeling idle or useless.

The yearling quickly shifted to stand, her tumble, as she feared hadn’t gone unnoticed by those around her, her yellow gaze drifted up past the furry tree trunk of Gent’s legs and found herself caught in his gaze. The girl shrunk down under that glare which seemed to triple in intensity as Raela called her name and Sylva gulped a little, feeling another pair of eyes laying on her from behind,. Slowly, she stood as Gent took steps to the side and revealed the entrance to the den.

Sylva gulped a little, the unspoken message from her mentor clear as she tentatively stepped around him and peered into the den, blinking in the dimness. Her small muzzle drifted toward the new arrivals as she took in the sight of the...fuzzy lumps of fur clumped against Raela’s side.

“T..their beautiful Raela…” She whispered, feeling the urge to want to protect the three newest arrivals, they were the future of White Fir Notch, the next generation, the new blood and Sylva wanted to make sure they stayed safe so they could grow up in comfort and safety. After a few more moments she nodded and turned,m squeezing past Gent’s leg, glancing up she said “Thank you Gent…” Though of course, she left out exactly what it was she was thanking for as she settled down on her haunches.